The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-05
REV. DR.. TALMAGE.
CHE BROOKLYN DIVINE'S SUN.
DAY SERMON.
Subject Of Discourse: "On Trial"


John il, |.
Standing in a courtroom you say to your
self: cat this bar crime has often been ar
raigned; at this witness stand the oath ha!
often been taken; ut this jurors bench the
verdict has been rendered; at this judge!
desk sentence has been pronounced" But
have to tell you to-day Of trial higher thar
any Oyer and Terminer or Circuit o. Su
preme or Chancery. 1t is the trial Of every
Christian man for the life Of his soul This
trial is different from any other in the fact
that it is both civil aud criminal The issues
at stake are tremendous, and shall in my
sermon show you, first, what are the grounds
of complaint; then, who are the witnesses in
the cause, and lastly, who are the advocates.
When q trial is called on. the first thing Is
to have the indictment read. Stand up then,
0 Christian men, and hear the Indictment
Of the court of high heaven against thy soul.
It is IN Indictment of ten counts, for thou
has directly or indirectly broken all the ten
commandments. You know how it thun.
dered on Sinai, and when God came down
how the mountain rocked and the smoke as
cended as from smouldering furnace and the
darkness gathered thick and the loud deep
trumpet uttered the words: ''The soul that
sinneth, it shall die!" Are you guilty or not
guilty! Do not put in negative plea too
quick, for have to announce that ''all have
sinned and come short Of the glory OF God.
There is none that doeth good; no, not one.
WhoSoaver shall keep the whole law, yet Of
fend in one point, he is guilty of ALL Do
not, th refore, be too hasty in pronouncing
yourself not guilty.
This lawsuit before us also charges you
with the breaking OF a solemn contract
Many time did we promise to be the
Lords We got down on our knees and said:
40 Lord, / am thine now and forever.
Did You keep the promise? Have you stood
up to the contracts l go back to your first
communion. You remember it as we'll as if
it were yesterday. You know how the Wis
ion of the cross rose before you. You re-
member how from the head and the han Is
and the side and the feet, there came bleed
ing forth these two words: Remember
Me-" You recall how the cup Of communion
trembled in your hand when you first took
think You hear, the roaring OF the surf even
after the shell has been taken from the
beach, so you lifted the cup Of
communion and you heard in it
the surging Of the great ocean Of
Saviours agony; and you came forth from
that communion service with face shining as
though you had been on the Mount Of Trans
figuration; and the very air seemed tremu-
ious with the love Of Jesus, and the woods
and the leaves and the G. ass and the birds
were brighter and sweeter-voiced than ever
before, and you said down in the very depths
of your soul: Lord, Thou knowest all
things; Thou knowest that love Thee" {"
Have you kept the bargain, o Christian
mans Have you not sometimes faltered
when you ought to have been trus2 Have you
not been proud when you oughtto have been
humble. Have you not played the coward
when you ought to have been the hero!
: charge it upon you and charge it upon my
self-we have broken the contract.
Still further; this law suit claims damages
at your hands. the create t Slan1er on the
Christian religion is an inconsistent profes-
sor. The Bible says religion is one thing;
we by our lnconSlS ency say religion Is some
other thing, and what is more deplorable
about it is that people can SEQ faults Of Others
while they cannot see any in themselves. II
you shall at any time find some miserable old
gossip, with imperfections from the crown
Of her head to the sole of her foot, perfect
blotch Of sin herself, she will go tattling, tat
tling, tattling all the years of her life alb Nut
the Inconsistencies OF Others, having no idea
that she is inconsistent herself God save the
world from the gossip, female and male. I
think the males are the worst! Now the
chariot of Christ's salvation goes on through
the world; but it is orr inconsistencies,
my brethren, that block up the wheels, while
all along theme there ought to have been
cast nothing but palm branches, and the
to the son of David"
Now you have heard the indictment read.
Are you ready to plead guilty or not
guilty! Perhaps you are not ready yet to
plead. Then the trial will go on. The wit
nesses will be called and we shall have the
matter decided. In the name Of God I now
make proclamation: sst 0yezl oyezl y oyez! EEL
trial, in which God is the plaintiff and the
Christian soul the defeudont, let him now
step forth and give testimony in this solemn
trial.
The first witness that call upon the stand
in behalf of the prosecution is the world-all
critic al and observantO Of Christian character.
You know that there are people around you
who perpetually banquet on the frailties Of
Gods children. You may know, if you have
lived in the country, that a crow cares for
nothing SO much as carrion. There are those
who imagine that out of the faults Of Chris
tians they can make bridge Of boats across
the stream Of death, and they are going to
try it; but, a,as, for the mistake! When they
get amid stream away will 60 the bridge,
dition. o worll Of the greedy eye and
the hard heart, come on the stand now
and testify in behalf of the prosecution
against this Christian soul on trial What
do you know about this Christian man!
sob" saws the world, 81 know great deal
about him He talks about putting his treas
trade / ever knew. He seems to want US to
believe that he is q child of God, but he is
lust full of imperfections. I do not know
but am great deal better than he is now.
Oftentimes hs is very earthly and he talks so
little about Christ and so much about HIM
self. am very glad to testify that this is
bad man."
Stop, o World with the greedy eye and
harl heart. fear you are too much inter-
ested in this trial to give impartial evidence,
Let all those who hear the testimony of this
witness know that there is an old family
quarrel between these two parties. There
ALWAYS has teen O variance between the
world and the church and while the world
on the witness stand to-day has told great
deal of truth about this Christian man, you
must take it all with some allowance, re-
grudge good. 0 World of the greedy eye
and the hard heart, hat will do. You may
sit down.
The second witness I call in this case Is
Conscience. Who art thou, Q Corsciencei
What is your business Where were you
born What are you doing here "Oh,'
says Conscience, 81 was born in heaven;
came down to befriend this man; / have lived
with him, / have instructed him. l have
warned him. I showed him the right AND
the wrong, advising him to take the one and
eschew the other: I have kindlel great
tight in his soul; with whip Of scorpions
have scou"gel his wiciedness and
have tried to cheer him when doing
right; and yet ! am compelled tt
testify on the stand to-day that he ha!
sometimes rejected my mission. Oh. how
many cups Of life have Ip-eSsed to his lirs
that he dashed down. and how often has he
heart of the Son Of God! 1t pains me very
Ypuch thot 7 have to taStify apainSt this